John Harris. Remember that name. This man – a hot-shot in the field of bioethics – is making intelligent statements about the augmentation of our species. And he is talking sense. To cut a long story short: according to Harris, mankind is entitled to…., no OBLIGED TO improve the human species by the means it has at its disposal. And by the means it will still develop.
This includes anything from implementing certain educational methods or wearing glasses, to genetic engineering or stem cell interventions. I like that way of thinking. I might have made statements along the same line in this Blog already: we have a big brain. Because of this, we are able to survive on this planet. We need loads of unnatural devices to do that. “Naturality” is not an argument for us to either do or not do something. Those days have past since a very long time.
We drive cars, watch TV’s, go to supermarkets and do many more things no chimpanzee would ever think of by himself. We have learnt to get far away from “nature” on our quest for survival-fitness; or anything else we do. There is no reason to somehow frantically hold on to our “naturalness”.
Fascists do that. They love the natural order. They talk about “eradicating the disabled” whilst for instance Harris talks about “eradicating disability”. There is a difference, to put it mildly….. We, the sensible, leftist, well thinking people, know this, of course.
We – me and the likes of me – don’t want to be caged by nature, ruled by sheep-pleasing druids or any other missionaries. We want power by science, technology and ratio. We want to get better, stronger and smarter… We want to live to be a 150 years old, or older. I would.
I’ll repeat it one more time, and challenge me if you want: nature is “right-wing” by nature. That may look good at first glance, but it surely is not. Think further, and get wiser. Seek for progress and LOOK AHEAD!
